One of the best hotel suites in Tokyo is not quite its largest nor its most luxurious. However it is definitely its most distinctive. Tucked away on the 14th floor of the prestigious Imperial Hotel Tokyo, which has long been an institution in the Japanese hospitality industry, is the Frank Lloyd Wright suite. It’s not open to the public so let me share with you details and photos from my time there. THE FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT CONNECTION This suite was not created by Frank Lloyd Wright, the great architect. In fact most of the current Imperial Hotel was not created by him either. He created the o ..read more

It was the summer before the pandemic and we were in Siberia, in the exotic Republic of Buryatia, where the pace of life is slow. The Trans-Siberian Express was delayed and no one was quite sure when it would finally show up. We’d arrived on time in the dusty Soviet-era station of the city of Ulan-Ude, capital of the Republic of Buryatia, but the station master only gave a shrug when we’d asked about the whereabouts of the train. So for about an hour, I stood on the crowded platform, grappling with uncertainty while observing the other passengers, mostly Russians of Mongol descent, waiting i ..read more

Perched right along the Bosphorus, just at the end of Galata Bridge, the new The Peninsula Istanbul is a testament to luxury and fine taste in a city already known for its aesthetic elegance and sensibility. This opulent retreat, chosen the Best New Hotel in the World for 2023, was seamlessly put together from three port area buildings — including what was once Istanbul’s shipping and cruise terminal — plus an entirely new building. From many of its premium rooms and suites, it offers unparalleled 180-degree views of an extraordinary panorama: the majestic Bosphorus with the bridges in the di ..read more

Located in the heart of historic Kyoto, where the ancient and modern coalesce, The Celestine Kyoto Gion is a haven of serenity. This elegant hotel offers a cocoon escape for anyone seeking a place to refresh and rejuvenate from a stressful lifestyle. The ambience could partly be due to the location of the hotel just opposite Kyoto’s oldest Zen temple Kenninji (建仁寺). the calm beauty of Kyoto. Kenninji Temple – Kyoto’s oldest Zen Temple Kenninji Temple was founded in 1202 and is said to be where Zen (which originated from China) was first taught in Japan. Inside the temple grounds, there are sev ..read more

In Japanese, “Moga” refers to “Modern Girls” – a term from the 1920s (Prohibition era) describing young, urban women who embraced Western fashion, lifestyle, and values. The Moga phenomenon represented a departure from the more conservative ideals of the past and marked a shift towards a more liberated and cosmopolitan lifestyle. “Moga” women were seen as emblematic of the changing roles and aspirations of Japanese women in a rapidly modernizing society. In the context of MOGĀ at Pullman Singapore Hill Street, located behind the ground floor hotel lobby, the use of the term “Moga” is a nod to ..read more

Located in the heart of historic Kyoto, where the ancient and modern coalesce, The Celestine Kyoto Gion is a haven of serenity. This elegant hotel offers a cocoon escape for anyone seeking a place to refresh and rejuvenate from a stressful lifestyle. The ambience could partly be due to the location of the hotel just opposite Kyoto’s oldest Zen temple Kenninji (建仁寺). the calm beauty of Kyoto. Kenninji Temple – Kyoto’s oldest Zen Temple Kenninji Temple was founded in 1202 and is said to be where Zen (which originated from China) was first taught in Japan. Inside the temple grounds, there are sev ..read more

The world’s best hotel for 2023 is not very big at all. Tucked into a discrete but ritzy neighborhood in the hills surrounding Lake Como, not far from the estates of George Clooney and Richard Branson, it was once the home of a banker who I was told lived there all alone with his wife and a handful of staff. Photo Today it is a 23-key jewel of a hotel and it’s full of life, thanks to the vision of third-generation Lake Como hotelier Valentina de Santis whose family also owns the very popular Grand Hotel in Tremezzo. Buoyed by the success of their lakeside property, which is full almost every ..read more

After a busy week in an extremely busy city, my club deluxe king room at the Intercontinental Hotel Robertson Quay in Singapore was an oasis of calm and serenity. It’s spacious and sleek, and the views from the floor-to-ceiling windows are not your everyday Singapore skyline. I’ve stayed in many luxury hotels in the Lion City and most of them do have that same amazing Singapore view. No matter which angle you’re looking at, it’s an impressive jumble of skyscrapers and construction alongside Hindu temples and colonial shophouses. And if you’re lucky, you’ll have some water below you as well. R ..read more

There are so many tours of Japan these days so it’s advisable to choose the best private tour. And when it comes to Japan, we at Travelife Magazine are the most qualified experts. We don’t offer standard trips to the usual places. Instead, we curate highly personalized private tours based on the preferences, travel styles and interests of our guests. Our individual approach means no two private tours of Japan are alike and we do design the best Japan tours. HOW WE WORK We create a trip for you alone. The ideal time frame for creating the perfect trip is six months. However, we can work on your ..read more

In an island full of so much cool and stylish, is there actually a side of Singapore that is more hip than the rest? Apparently there is. And these days, it’s in the neighborhoods around Robertson Quay, with its great restaurants and outdoor cafes along the river, just a hop and a skip from the financial district and from the Orchard Road area. This area is lovely to walk in, and on weekends it’s practically Style Central;. Most of the dining establishments around here are booked, and it’s a nice variety of upscale places, private clubs and also the kind of digs where you can pop up in torn j ..read more